Scion Audio upgrade, phase 2

So, I got some 'plans' for making speaker adapters, and cut them out of some old melamine shelving I had hanging around. They came out OK; they aren't going to be seen, so looks weren't that important.

I dug up my 'spare' pair of MB Quart 6.5 inchers, and set to the task of drilling the rivets out of the stock speakers. It actually went a lot better than I had expected.

I made a cheesy 'harness' to connect the Quarts to the stock wiring, mounted the first Quart and went to screw it in.

That's when I noticed the speaker surround was separating from the frame! I knew the older Quarts were notorious for needing to be reapaired, but didn't know why. Now I knkow.

So, I got out my 'Velcro' glue (remember that? ;) and glued the rubber back to the frame and 'clamped' it with a dozen clothespins. A quick inspection of the second speaker revealed even worse separation!

While waiting for the glue to dry, I drilled out the second speaker and mounted the adapter and made up the wiring. By this time it was a little more than an hour, so I checked and the glue was sufficiently dry to mount the speakers.

So, now I have 5" Quarts in the rear, and 6.5" Quarts in the front, and what a difference! It sounds pretty good. I have to turn it up a bit more than with the 'cheap' speakers that came with the car, but the quality is certainly rewarding!

If I decide to upgrade the head unit and add an amp, that's going to have to wait for Spring. It sounds decent enough as is, though!

Reply to
Hachiroku
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You guessed right! 5 or 5.25" in the rear, and 6.5" in the front. They are branded Pioneer, and marked "Made in China"

If you go to Scionlife, look up tC ICE speaker and you should find a template for the front and the rear speakers. I had some baskets from a Honda, any my OTHER nickname is "Kludge, Master of the Cob Jobs", so the rears are held in with one screw at the top. They are mounted in the baskets, though and when I put the interior panels back in the car, it presses them in place, so they don't rattle.

I made the mounts from some old shelving using the template from ScionLife; make them just a shade meatier if you do this. In a couple spots, when you cut the 6-6.25 inch hole for the speakers, it's a little 'thin' in a spot or two, but the design is pretty good!

Also, cut a notch for the wire! Otherwise, you'll have to pinch it somewhere. I cut about a 1/16" notch and pressed the wiring into it, and then mounted the speaker.

It sounds pretty good. I think perhaps next time I open it up I might put

6.5s in the rear as well, since their position does not make them well heard.

And, another note: the Quarts I used had a tweeter in them; I left the factory tweeter in palce and just added the 6'5s complete, since the stock

6.5 is a 4 ohm speaker and the Quarts are 4 ohms overall. Actually, a tweeter appears on the system more as a capacitance, so I don't believe there will be any problems with balancing as far aas the stock head unit's amp is concerned. It sounds good!

And, one more little tip: high frequencies are VERY directional, where as lows are not. GENTLY bend the tweeter bracket on the driver's door to face more towards you. It makes a BIG difference! You can also relocate the one on the passenger's door, buty because of it's position, it doesn't have to be moved a lot. The highs will be a LOT clearer!

Reply to
Hachiroku

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